


Hold Me Tight

by BananaChef



Series: Short and Sweet [3]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Cersei & Jaime are seven, Dyslexic Jaime Lannister, Ficlet, For reference, Gen, Jaime Lannister Needs a Hug, and i love him, he's ma boi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:00:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24489382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BananaChef/pseuds/BananaChef
Summary: With a heavy sigh, he looked back down at his own book. Despite it being about swordwork, Jaime couldn’t get past the third paragraph. The words kept swimming in front of his eyes, floating around the page.He slammed it shut, shoving it onto the floor before curling into a fetal position against the back of his chair. “I can’t do it! I can’t read! The words keep swimming around the page!” To Jaime’s chagrin, he choked up, frustrated tears claiming his eyes. “I can’t do it.”
Relationships: Cersei Lannister & Jaime Lannister, Jaime Lannister & Tywin Lannister
Series: Short and Sweet [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1899604
Kudos: 13





	Hold Me Tight

_Maybe I can be a great hero! I’ll fight off bad guys and save maidens! That’ll be a grand adventure, won’t it? Certainly better than being cooped up at Casterly Rock with a family when I’m older._

“Jaime, _read_ ,” Tywin barked out, barely glancing at his son.

His father licked his index finger before flipping the page of his book. The study was too stuffy and small—Jaime wanted to run around outside and fight using the new sword he’d gotten for his seventh nameday.

With a heavy sigh, he looked back down at his own book. Despite it being about swordwork, Jaime couldn’t get past the third paragraph. The words kept swimming in front of his eyes, floating around the page.

He slammed it shut, shoving it onto the floor before curling into a fetal position against the back of his chair. “I can’t do it! I can’t read! The words keep swimming around the page!” To Jaime’s chagrin, he choked up, frustrated tears claiming his eyes. “I can’t do it.”

Tywin sighed heavily, putting his bookmark on the page before gently closing his book. “You _will_ read, or you won’t be using your sword all summer. You are a Lannister: you have a duty as my heir to not only be an unmatched swordsman but to be well-read. I will not allow you to squander your youth running about with your sword when Ser Broom isn’t teaching you.”

Jaime glared at his father through teary eyes, clenching his jaw. “But I _can’t_ read!” He unfurled his arms and legs, standing up on the chair. “I can’t read so I won’t read. I don’t want to read about using a sword—I can’t make sense of the words! Sword looked like ‘wrsod’ in the first paragraph, Father!”

Tywin’s jaw worked as he stared up at his son, who was taller than him from his vantage point on the chair.

“I wish Mother was here. She’d understand.”

At that, his father’s eyes seemed to flame. Tywin stood up from his seat, almost towering over Jaime. “Your mother was killed by your brother. She’s not here and she never will be ever again. If you want to survive out in the world, you _will_ read your books!”

Jaime’s bottom lip trembled— _no, I won’t cry_. He rushed out of the study and ran through the halls until he found Cersei in her quarters, sewing as her septa looked over her work.

“Jaime!” she gasped, setting down her needlework when he burst into the room.

She nearly fell over with the force of his hug, tears spilling onto her shoulder. He heard Cersei send away her septa as she wrapped her arms around him.

 _She’s older than me_ , Jaime thought, _so she’ll know how to help me_.

“Father—making me read—you know—can’t read,” he managed between heavy breaths. “Help.”

She shushed him, leading him to the side of her bed—it was far too large for her, but that simply made it easier for Jaime to crawl into bed with her at night—before prying him away from her shoulder.

“Jaime...Jaime, look at me.” Cersei cupped his cheek with her hand, wiping away his tears. “You have to be strong for me. You are my knight in shining armor; I need you to become a good knight so you can defend me. Once you’re sent off to squire with one of the lords you will not have time to practice reading, you’ll be too busy sword-fighting. Be strong for me, Jaime.”

He broke into a small smile, hugging his sister again. “I will, because I love you.”


End file.
